Furnace for burning hydrocarbon fuel



(No Model.)

J. H.-BULLARD.

FURNAGE FOR BURNING HY DROUARBON FUEL. No. 365,790. Patented July 51887..

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EETCE.

JAMES H. BULLARD, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FURNACE FOR BURNING HYDROCARBON FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,790, dated July 5,1887. Original application filed September 30, 1886, Serial No. 213,971.Divided and this application filed November 1, 1886 Serial (No model.)

tank and from the latter to the furnace commingled with said fuel undera uniform autoinatically-regulated pressure; and the invention consistsin the peculiar arrangement and construction of the air andfuelsup-plying and regulating devices, all as hereinafter fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing forming part of this specification are illustrated inside elevation,'partly in section, a boiler and furnace, a liquid-fueltank, and atomizers, and air-supplying and pressure-regulating devicesconnected therewith embodying my improvements, the side of saidfuel-tank being shown partly broken away.

In the drawing, 3 indicates a steam-boiler of a well-known construction,consisting of a centrul tube or drum, 4, (the side thereof being shownpartly broken away,) having tubes 5, connected to the sides thereof byone end and projecting laterally from said drum, a pipe, 6, beingattached to the boiler to convey steam therefrom for any desiredpurpose. No

feed-pump or pipes for supplying water to the boiler are shown in thedrawing; but any well-known devices may be employed for that purpose.

A bed-plate, 7, is located under the boiler, on which the latter rests,and said bed-plate rests on short posts, as shown, which stand betweenthe bed-plate and thetop of the liquid fuel tank 8. Afurnace, 9, ofmetal or other suitable construction, inclo'ses the boiler. 'Nosmoke-pipe is required for the furnace, for the reason that thecombustion of the liquid fuel (which consists, preferably, of refinedpetroleum) under the-belowdcscribed conditions position that theatomized fuel and air will be injected through perforations c in thewalls of the furnace, and when ignited by any suitable means will fillthe latter with flame. Air to support combustion is admitted to thefurnace through said perforations c, as well as by means belowdescribed.

The atomizers 10 consist of two tubes-an outer larger one, which isshown above the fuel-tank, on the end of which is attached a cap, asshown, through a central hole in which the fuel and air are delivered,and a smaller tube, 0, (shown through a broken-away portion of thesidcof said tank,) which extends nearly to the bottom of said tank, which ispartly filled with said liquid fuel d, always leaving an air space orchamber, 6, between the surface of said fuel and the top of the tank.Said smaller tube 0 of the atomizer enters the lower end of the saidlarger tube and extends into the cap at, its end at that pointterminating opposite the exithole in the cap, and an air-passagecommunicating with said air-chamber c in the fuel-tank is by theabovedescribed tubular arrangement formed between the two tubes of theatomizer, where by air is conducted from the chamber-c to and throughthe cap a simultaneously with the liquid fuel, which is forced, as belowdescribed, through the inner tube, 0. Any number of atomizers 10 may beattached to the fueltank proportionate to the heat required for theboiler.

An air-pipe, 12, for conveying air to the chamber e of the fuel-tank 8,passes through one of the upwardly-prqjecting ends of the latter andterminates within the opposite end of the tank, as shown, said pipehaving its inner end open and perforations in its side near its oppositeend, in order that it may deliver air about equally at both ends of thetank in chamber 0.

To the end of said air-pipe 12, outside of the fueltank, is attached oneend of a valve box, 13, having an air-passage, 2, through it in linewith said air-pipe, and to the opposite end of said valve-box isattached-an air-pipe, 14, to which is connected, by an ordinaryunion-joint, 15, a pipe, 16, with which is connected an air-pump, J, bya pipe, K, and stopvalves h and 17 are connected in said pipe 16, asshown. Said air-pump maybe run by any convenient power through a beltrunning on the pulley f thereon; or it may be operated by hand by meansof the handle '1, projecting from said pulley. Said pipe 16 is connectedwith a reservoir, 18, of compressed air, on which is an ordinarypressure gage, n, and spring escape-valve w, as shown. ,The aforesaidvalve-box 13 has a transverse perforation through it, crossing saidair-passage, in each end of which perforation is formed an ordinarystuffing-box, as shown. One end of a valve-spindle, 19, passes throughsaid valvebox and stuffing-boxes, as shown, and across -said air-passagetherein, and said spindle has a. transversely-perforated air-hole orvalveport, as, in that part of it within the valve-box.Said-stufling-boxes prevent the escape of air around the spindle 19, andthe latter is adapted to be moved in the valve-box in a direction acrosssaid air-passage 2, whereby the holeJr in inder 21 and the under. sideof said pistonhead 20, serves to move the latter upward and to bringsaid valve-port w of said spindle to a position, when free to do so, ina line with the passage z, as below described, thereby opening theair-passage through the valve-box, and said spring constitutes anelement of resistance to the movement of the end of said spindle acrosssaid air-passage to bring the valveport to the position shown, aspointed out hereinafter. A11 air-pipe, 23, connects the cylinder 21 withthe air-chamber c of the fueltank.

The operation of the above-described airsupplying andpressure-regulating devices in connection with the fuel-tank andatomizers in injecting said fuel and air into a furnace and in storingup compressed air for use in the fuel-tank when it is not convenient torun the air-pump is as follows: \Vhen the fueltank 8 is arranged tooperatein connection with asteam-boiler for running asteam-engine,

tank, and any surplus of air which is pumped into pipe 16 more than maybe required for the fuel-tank is carried into the reservoir 18, and'theair-pressure in the latter is regulated by turning the regulating-screws of the escapevalve w, the end of said screw acting on a spring in saidvalve, which acts against a disk therein over the outlet air-passagethrough it. what in excess of that required to operate the atomizers andto supply air to the furnace air Thus under a certain ainpressure someispermitted to escape from the reservoir, so

that the pressure under which the air is sent by the pump J into thefuel-tank is maintained atthe desired point above that required in atedby the said running machinery, and where the operation of the machineryis dependentupon. an engine operated by steam which is generated bymeans of aboilerand furnace such as are herein described. Undersaidconditions a supply of air for the tank 8 and the furnace must be had toget up steam to start the engine after steam has been'allowed to go downin the boiler, andsaid air-supply for starting the fire is provided forby storing a certain quantity of compressed air in the reservoir whilethe air-pump is running and by'utilizing said stored air for startingthe fire to get up steam in the boiler, as aforesaid. storing said airin the reservoir, the valve 17 is shut until such time as the said airis required for the purpose set forth.

An air-reservoir substantially such as is shown herein is by anysuitable means supplied with such a quantity of compressed air as may berequired to maintain a fire in the furnace for a certain time, and canbe used in connection with said boiler and tank in many ways-as, forinstance, when the boileris used to drive an engine for propelling astreetcar or other vehicle, or for propelling a boat, and for any otherdesirable similar purpose when it is more convenient to use a reservoirthan to run a pumpand therefore the air'pressure in the reservoir mustbe considerably in excess of that under which it is supplied to'thefuel-tank.

In practice the requisite ainpressure to be maintained in the chamber 6of the fuel-tank, whereby the most economical consumption of fuel andfavorable conditions for combustion are secured, is from one toone andone-half pound per square inch, more or less, andthe air from the pumpor from a reservoir is delivered at said low pressure into the fuel-tankby the governing action of the valve-spindle and its connecting devices,as follows: The power of the spring 22 to resist compression, togetherwith the slight frictional resistance of the spindle 19 in its bearings,are adapted to be overcome by the said required degree of Afterair-pressure in the fuel-tank, the force of said pressure being broughtto bear on the pistonhead 20 through the connection of the cylinder 21with the air-chamber e of the fuel-tank by the pipe 23. In consequenceof the latterdescribed action of the valve-spindle 19 the latter will,when air under pressure is flowing into the chamber from a pump orreservoir, be operated by any pressure in said air-chamber in excess ofsaid required low pressure, and said valve-port a: will be carried moreor less out of line with the air-passage z through the valve-box 13,thereby restricting said passage in proportion to said excessivepressure in chamber 6, and causing a uniform-low pressure to bemaintained in said chamber for ejecting fuel and air from the tank 8.

The abovedescribed construction, embody ing the perforated valve-stem19, extending across the compressed-air passage z, to serve as anair-valve, obviates any air-resistance to the proper movement of thevalve.

The spring 22 may be changed at pleasure for one having more or lessresisting power, in order to regulate the working pressure in thefuel-tank to any other than that mentioned above.

It is obvious that the use of said fuel-tank, atomizers, andairsupplying and pressureregulating devices need not be restricted tosteam-boilers, but that they may be efiiciently employed for producingheat in many other relations.

This application is in part a division of my application, Serial No.213,971, filed September 30, 1886, for steam road-wagon, and of afurther application, Serial No. 215,862, filed October 11, 1886,relating to hydrocarbonfurnaces for steam-boilers. The subject-matterherein claimed is not claimed in the other ap plications referred to.

' I am aware that it is not new to force a liquid fuel to a burner byair-pressure, and that air-pumps are not new and air-reservoirs are notnew, and that valves operated in one direction by air or steam pressureand in the other direction by a weight or spring are not new.

\Vilat I claim as my invention is- 1. A liquid-fuel tank having normallyan air-chamber above the level of its liquid con, tents, fuel-atomizersattached thereto com'} municating with the air-chamber of the tank andalso with the part of the tank devoted to liquid fuel, a reservoiradapted to contain compressed air and having pipe-connection with theair-chamber of the tank, and a valve controlling the aperture in saidpipe and itself controlled by a passage or pipe leading from theairchamber in the tank, all in combiuation, substantially as stated.

2. A boiler and furnace, substantially as described, a liquid'fuel tankhaving normally an air-chambertherein above the level of its fluidcontents, and fuel-atomizers,substantiall y as described, communicatingwith said liquid fuel and with said air-chamber, combined with areservoir adapted to contain compressed air, a conducting-pipeconnecting said reservoir with said air-chamber having therein avalveboX, substantially as described, an air-cylinvalvespindle havingone end connected to a piston-head in said cylinder and its opposite endentering said valve-box, and a spring between said piston-head and oneend of said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination, the fuel-tank 8, having the air-chamber e, theair-reservoi r 18, a pipe connecting the latter and said chamber, thecylinder 21, connected by an air-pipe with the chamber a, the valve-box13, connected in said her, the valve-spindle 19, having one endconnected to a head in said cylinder and its op posite end entering saidvalve-box, and a spring on said spindle within the cylinder 21,substantially as set forth.

4.. A liquid-fuel tank, substantially as described, having normally anair chamber therein above the level of its fluid contents, andfuel-atomizers attached thereto communicating with said fluid contentsand with said air-chamber, combined with an air-pu mp having apipe-connection with said air-chamber, and a valve, substantially asdescribed, controlled by the air-pressure'in said chamber to vary thearea of the air-passage in said pipeconnection between said pump andfuel tank, substantially as set forth.

5. A boiler and furnace, substantially as de scribed, aliquid-fuel tankhaving normally an air-chamber therein above the level of its fluidcontents, and fuel-atomizers, substantially as described, communicatingwith said liquid fuel and with said air-chamber, combined with anair-pump, a conductingpipe connecting said pump with said airchamber,having therein a valve-box, substantially as described, an air-cylinderconnected with said fuel-tank chamber, a valve-spindle having one endconnected to a piston-head in said cylinder and its opposite endentering said valve-box, and aspriug between said piston-head and oneend of said cylinder, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, the fuel-tank 8, having the air-ehamber e, theair-pump J, apipe con- .necting the latter and said chamber, thecylinder 21, connected by an air-pipe with the chamber 6, the valve'box13, connected in said pipe between the pump and theairchamber, the valve-spindle 19, having one endconnected to a head in said cylinder andits opposite end spindle within the cylinder 21, substantially as setforth.

JAMES H. BULLARD. Witnesses:

WM. H. CHAPIN,

G. M. CHAMBERLAIN,

pipe between the reservoir and the air-chamder connected with saidfuel-tank chamber, a

ICO

entering said valve-box, and a spring on said

